Nostalgia for home that food evokes. That was the feeling that wafted over me the moment I walked into the Latest Recipe, the all-day diner at Le Méridien Gurgaon Delhi NCR. The occasion was Pind ka Tadka, a week-long Punjabi food festival the hotel was hosting. And how can one not yearn for it when the air was filled with the aroma of Sarson Da Saag (mustard greens from Punjab), the slow-cooked Dal Makhani (buttery lentil), and the flavor of meat rice.
It wasn’t just the food that was appealing—it was the tradition of love, of a mother’s kitchen on a chilly winter night that the place evoked.
At the heart of this all was the celebrity chef Sweety Singh, a man whose food tastes just like his presence — warm, welcoming, and filled with affection. His ‘Pind da Tadka’ wasn't just about technique, it was about love and tradition and taking the world on a culinary journey into Punjabi cuisine.
Singh is a celebrated chef who has cooked for the likes of the Ambanis as well as SRK. His passion lies not in extravagance but in maintaining the authenticity of Punjabi food and culture. “People think Punjabi food means ghee and butter, but that is not true. Our mothers didn’t cook like that,” he said, talking about the misconception people have about Punjabi food.
He is a dedicated chef who does not use shortcuts. His Dal Makhani begins its journey hours before it reaches the plate. It is soaked for 14 hours along with charcoal to maintain the smoky taste. It does not have any added cream or masala but only the lentil. His ‘sarson da saag and makki di roti’ combo deliver the traditional taste of Punjab. The butter chicken melts in the mouth and the kadhi is a perfect balance of sourness and spiciness. He very proudly says that he uses fresh tomatoes and brown onion to prepare this dish.
Singh's 30-year culinary journey started with learning cooking from his visually impaired father, who, he says, could identify spices just from the aroma. The culinary journey started from his father’s thela (food cart) in Delhi is now carried on by the son now in five-star hotels, giving the world a deep dive into the authentic taste of Punjab.
Singh is thankfully old school when it comes to traditional dishes. “People have started adding cashew and tomato purée into everything and call it Punjabi food. But that is not what it is. The new chefs are learning cooking from books, but I have learned it from my father and 30 years of experience in the kitchen.”
Singh doesn’t answer when asked what the most special dish in the menu is, but doesn’t hesitate when asked about his comfort food. “Rajma shawl (rice with kidney beans) or a plate of perfectly cooked meat,” he says. It’s a meal that reminds him of his roots and his respect for the land he hails from — just like the food event that bears his name.